Colleges by Location
Colleges by Fields of Study
Colleges by Tuition Range
Colleges by GPA Range
College by SAT Range
Colleges by ACT Score
Graduate Schools by Location
Graduate Schools by Fields of Study
Graduate School by Degree Type
Paying for Graduate School
Online Graduate Programs
Test Preparation
Career Planning
College Planning
Graduate School Planning
Applying to Graduate School
Engineering Careers
Howard University
Washington, DC
Howard University is a prestigious and historically black university located in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1867, it is recognized as one of the top national research institutions in the United States. With a strong emphasis on academic excellence, cultural diversity, and social justice, Howard University offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across various disciplines.
The university's academic strengths are particularly notable in the fields of medicine, law, business, engineering, and communications. It is well-regarded for its Howard University Hospital, College of Medicine, and School of Law, which have produced many successful alumni who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. Additionally, Howard has a reputation for its highly regarded fine arts programs, including its School of Communications, which has educated notable figures in the entertainment industry.
Beyond its academic offerings, Howard University is known for its vibrant campus life and commitment to social justice. It embraces a rich cultural tradition, celebrates diversity, and fosters an inclusive community. The university hosts numerous student organizations, clubs, and extracurricular activities that provide students with opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and community engagement. Furthermore, Howard's location in the nation's capital allows students to take advantage of unique internships, networking opportunities, and interactions with policymakers and leaders in various industries.
Howard University is a private university located in Washington, DC and set in an urban environment. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 51%. The six-year graduation rate at Howard University is 79%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is February 15. Discover more about what you can expect if you get into Howard University.
Quick Facts
9,809
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
51%
Acceptance Rate
$35,344
Tuition
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
79%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to discover as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the school in order to increase your chances of being accepted. Here are the most relevant information you should know about admission at Howard University.
According to the newest information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 10,140 in 2022. Howard University has an official test-optional admission policy but considers standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the candidate. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of applicants who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 31% and ACT scores 13%. 7.15% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 37.06% between 1,200 and 1,399, 42.4% between 1,000 and 1,199, 12.87% between 800 and 999, and 0.52% between 600 and 799. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 6.69, 37.08 between 24-29, 48.33 in the range between 18-23, and 7.9 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the enrolled students in 2022 was 25 and the average GPA was 3.65. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Howard University; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 611 for the enrolled first-year students, while the average SAT Math score was 593.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by February 15. Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 79%, which is considered an above-average graduation rate.
51%
Acceptance Rate
Student Body
Choosing a school that is the right match for you is not a simple task. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a better understanding of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
In 2022, the school had an enrollment of 12,886 students.
That year, the institution had 93% of students coming from another state. There was a total of 9,809 undergraduate students, including 423 international students. The school reported to have a total of 168 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 3,334 male and 8,216 female full-time students in 2022. 863 full-time graduate men and 1,774 full-time graduate women attended this school.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 329 Asian students and 6,345 Afro-American students in 2022. 601 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 449 identified with more than one race. The school also had 15 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 108 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 1,468 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
One of the most crucial things to take into consideration when applying to any college or university is the financial component. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for Howard University.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at Howard University? Here is what you need to know.
Tuition in 2022 was $35,344 for full-time domestic students. Howard University is a private institution, so tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students amounted to $466 in 2022.
Books and Supplies
The approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another important expense. Most students have to set aside about $1,360 for books and supplies during their time at Howard University.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What do schools typically charge for accommodation and meals?
In 2022, room and board cost at Howard University amounted to $17,322 a year. If you only needed a dormitory room, you had to pay $11,152 for the 2022 academic year.
| Tuition | $ 35,344 |
| Room and Board | $ 17,322 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,360 |
| Total Expense | $ 54,026 |
Financial Aid
Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial aid for students. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Howard University, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent records show that 2,015 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average financial aid package awarded to students reached $24,438.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
6,289 students were awarded some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Howard University is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 7,283. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution stood at $22,297,668, and state $157,428. The students of Howard University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $131,963,189, and external in the amount of $555,563.
$14,162
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 6,283 students overall (including freshmen) at Howard University in 2022. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 1,998 full-time freshmen. Federal non-need-based scholarships and grants totaled $22,297,668 for students at this institution, while state aid came to $33,271. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $17,618,948. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $51,581 USD.
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
The Common Application for Transfer (Common App for transfer)
-
Undergraduate Majors - Fall 2025
Undergraduate Majors - Fall 2025
ApplyStart Year: 2025
Start Term: Fall
Application Deadline: 2025-04-01
Majors
Faculty
12:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Howard University was 12:1: that means 12 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The faculty of this school consists of 1,350 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 677 male and 673 female faculty members.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Howard University is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some information about campus life at Howard University.
Its campus is 257 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Engaging with a variety of student organizations can enrich your educational experience and make it more rewarding.
The number of student organizations and groups with open membership at this school is 150. This number includes sororities and fraternities. At this school, 8% of male students are members of social organizations, while that percentage is 6 for female students. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students is Entrepreneurial Society, Howard University, followed by International Student Organization and Campus Pals. Other popular organizations at Howard University are Undergraduate Student Assembly and Howard University Student Association.
Those who have a talent for music can join the Howard University band or chorus. There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. You have a passion for media and communication? Howard University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
At Howard University, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. Dormitory entrances at the school are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates 24 hours a day. The after-hours transportation/escort service is available.
This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services, Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of Howard University.
All in all, campus life at Howard University is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Howard University.
Career Counselling
At Howard University, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
-
Howard University is located in Washington, DC.
-
Howard University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
-
According to the latest information, the tuition for Howard University is 35,344 USD a year.
-
This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
-
According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Howard University is 51%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
Find the best schools for you.
Need help with choosing grad school? We got you.
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.